Bicycle basket



Dec. 28, 1948. v. ALEKS 2,457,624

' BICYCLE BASKET ori inl Fiied Oct. 23, 1942 JZw F j. m munimum I k I I I I TT A 1 F ri Patented Dec. 28, 1948 BICYCLE BASKET Vytant Aleks, Rockford, Ill., assignor to The Washburn Company, Worcester, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Original application October 23, 1942, Serial No. 163,102. Divided and this application July 28, 1947, Serial No. 764,'188

7 Claims. (Cl. 224-36) This application is a division of my Patent No. 2,439,376, led October 23, 1942.

This invention relates to bicycle baskets, and has for its principal object the provision of a supporting bracket adapted for easy application to different makes and Styles of handle bars, together with a basket that is adapted for quick and easy attachment to and removal from the bracket so as to permit use of the basket for shopping purposes besides as a carrier basket for the bicycle.

A salient feature of the present invention lies in the fact that an ordinary wicker or other nonmetallic basket equipped with a small slip-cn fastener clip of simple and economical sheet metal construction can be applied to a supporting bracket of simple construction, thus reducing the use of critical materials to a minimum. However, it should be understood the invention is not limited to the use of a non-metallic basket.

Another feature of the invention consists in the construction of the supporting bracket using flat strip material, the exposed ends of the strips being rounded so as not to project objectional sharp edges, and the attaching arms made of the strip material being struck to channel-shape cross-section to lend strength and rigidity.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side view of a bicycle basket made in accordance with my invention and indicated in dotted lines the mode of attachment to the bicycle;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the basket shown in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a cross-section on an' enlarged scale in a vertical plane cn the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The same reference numerals are applied to corresponding parts throughout the views.

Bicycle baskets are used quite generally for carrying packages, and the bicycle basket of my invention, as stated before, has been designed with a view to easy removal of the basket proper so that it may be used as any ordinary shopping basket, and after the shopping is done is adapted to be replaced on the bicycle easily to serve as a carrier basket. The use of the basket interchangeably in the manner stated has been made practical by reason of the fact that there is only a small and hardly noticeable slip-cn fastener clip, indicated generally by the reference numeral Illa, provided on the basket lla. The latter is of wicker construction, and has fixed handles l2a on the opposite ends thereof. The basket when removed from the bracket on the bicycle serves as any other basket, the clip Illa being not at all objectionable or even noticeable. Of course, the invention is not to be regarded as limited to the use of a nonmetallic basket. The sheet metal clip Illa is adapted to receive the upper end portions 24a. of frame members Isa and lla of a supporting bracket l4a made substantially entirely of sheet metal strip material. The cross-member l8a in this bracket is riveted at its opposite ends to the upright members, as indicated at 40, and has the downwardly bent front ends of the attaching and supporting arms 3Ia riveted thereto, as indicated at 4l, the arms 3la being preferably bent to channelshaped cross-section, as indicated in Fig. 3, to lend strength and rigidity. The arms 3ia are adapted to be clamped to the handle bar 29 at their rear ends on opposite sides of the stem 32 by means of clips 35 and bolts 36. In this construction, however, the members Isa and lla are bent to generally L-shape to provide a supporting shelf or ledge 42 on the lower end portions thereof on which the bottom of the basket Ha is adapted to rest. A cross-member 43 is riveted to the ends of the members Isa and lla, as indicated at 44, to keep these lower ends in fixed spaced relation and also provide a place for connection of two supporting legs 45, one on each side of the front wheel 46, the legs 45 being pivotally connected, as at 47, to the downwardly bent ends 48 of the cross-member 43. The lower ends of the legs 45 have holes 49 provided therein int spaced relation for the adjustable connection of the legs 45 with the front axle 50 in a wellknown manner, the ends of the axle being entered in a selected hole n each of the two legs to suit the needs of the particular installation, so as to have the supporting shelf 42 on the bracket Ha kept in spaced relation to the front fender 5l, or out of contact with the wheel where the fender does not project forwardly to any appreciable extent from the front fork 30.

With this construction, it is apparent that the load is well distributed, and there is not too much strain imposed upon the clip Illa, nor is there any likelihood of the basket being wobbly and rattling when the bicycle is in motion.

It is believed the foregoing description conveys a good understanding of the objects and advantages of my invention. The appended claims have been drawn to cover all legitimate modifications and adaptations.

I claim:

1. A bicycle basket support, comprising an inverted generally U-shaped bracket made from three pieces of narrow sheet metal strip material, namely, two laterally spaced upright members and a cross-member secured to the upright members spaced downwardly from their upper ends, the upper end portions of said upright members above thecross-memben defining. two rlxedly spaced attaching lugs inisubstantially Vertical coplanar relation for connection With a bicycle basket, means connected to and extending; q

- fr-med and arranged relative to the cross-memrearwardly from the cross-member for detachably fastening the bracket to a bicycle handlebar in forwardly spaced relationzthereto,means connected with the lower 'ends; oft the uprighty;

4 bracket, in rigid relation to the legs of a bicycle front fork, and a fastener clip secured to the upper rear portion of .a bicycle basket and formed for detachable engagement on the aforesaid attaching lugs for demo-untably supporting the basket on thebracket, thecross-member'. serving t'o limit? downward movement of the' fastener clip on said attaching lugs, whereby to support the basket to which the clip is secured, and said laterally spaced upright members being further conber for supporting, engagement with the basket members for detachably fastening the same in.':-

rigid relation tc the legs of a bicycle front fork,

and a fastener clip secured'on'tlie zupper Timmer tion of a basket and frmed" t receive" the aforesaid attaching lugs for demountably supporting a bicycle basket on said braolet-,- tlie= cross-member serving to limit downward movement of the fastener clipnonisaidattachingslugs, whereby to support the basket: to-which the: clip iswsecured; L 2; A" bicycle basket support-as set forthin-aclaim 5 L wherein the Upright: members are;- bent" interf- .mediatestheirv ends to generally L-shape; the low er-subs-t'antially horizontalportions of said-members forming a shelf: below an'd n frontof the 'crosssmember: onwhich to restuthe bottom of a zspacing said horizontally: extendingzportionsz of said upri'ght members, saidicro'ssememben being pivot'ally connected at its opposite endsiw ith'the means for detachably securing-the lower'endsof said upright memberspin rigid lrel'ation'lto the legs .of a bicycle frontifork; a v

4'.- A.bicycle basket support, comprising; an n.- verted generally 'U -sliaped::bracket providing: two laterally spaced uprigh't members; a": crossememberr secured to'vthe uprightmemb'ers'spacect down wardly from their upper ends, the upper endpor- 'tions of said uprightxmembers above the: cross:-

member deining-z attaching lugsinia substantially vertical mene for: connectiont With a bicycle baslet; means connected: tos the cross memben' for detaehably'fastening-thebracket to asbicyclezhandie-bar, means connected to the: lower: endsz of the-upright members for detachablyfastening t'li'e below. tlie clipfr further support.

' Aibicycle "basket support as set forth in claim 4, wherein the upright members are bent so as to' provide below the cross-member a rest for supporting engagement with the lower rear portin of the bicycle'basket in its attached position. &LA'bi'cycle basket support as set forth in claim r 4, wherein the upright members are bent to substantially" L-,shape,.,so as to provide: a forwardly L extending shelfportion spaced appreciably below the cross-membenuonwhich to rest the bottbm of 'thezbieycle basket in' its attached position. L A 1.:

verted cnerally Uv-shaped. bracket made frorn three pieces of: narrow-sheet metal strip. ma 15e riaL, name1y, ,two. laterally spaced uprightmem bersi anda cross-member secured to the upright members: spaced downwardlyfrom. theirs-upper ends, the upper end portions of, said: upright membersabove the cross member d'ening two fixedly spacedattaching. lugs-in substantially ver tical coplanar relation for connection with; a; bi cycle-i basket, substantially horizontal e'ongated sheet -meta1- arms having substantially yerticall'y bent front end; portions connected tothe crosse member; said. arms extending rearwardlyfrom the: cross-member. andhaV-ing means on the rear ends thereof: f o r" detac-ha-bly fastening. the tsame tora-r bicycle-handle bar, said armsbeing; formed te" ohannel-vshaped. cross-section between; the

front ami reanends' for: addedzstrength:andrir ;g-;idity-,-, meansconnectedwith the lower ends o 'therupright members. for: detaeh'ably fasteningthe sameinrigid-relation to the legsof a-bicycle'front forkand zafastener clip secured; on the upper rim portion off. a basket; andformed toreceive .;the

aforesaid attaching lugsfor 'demountabl-ysupportingazbieyclebaskettonusaid bracket; tle crossmemberrserving; torlimit downwa-rd movement pf the fastener clip on"; said: attaching; mgawhereby to support the basket to Which the clip is secured.-

VYT-ANT ALEKS.

No-references.cited..

A-bicycle basket support comprising. anin- 

